Linux, laptops, Windows../BH Linux programs?

So I currently own a Mac. I would like to be able to run BH programs so I obviously need another operating system. I asked someone if I bought a used cheap Windows-installed laptop whether I should pay more attention to memory or processor speed for these types of programs...

He said I should buy a Mini-ITX and run Linux-- it makes sense considering how much memory something like Windows eats. I could get a cheap monitor too so I don't have to share my Mac with it.

BUT it seems like there aren't that many Linux BH programs. Are there? And if so, are they just as good? I've never used Linux, and I know very limited UNIX commands...

My other options are dropping a couple hundred on a decent used laptop... or running Win on my Mac-- but I don't want to have to deal with lagging if I'm running Windows and a BH program in the background.. it would be nice to be able to dedicate a machine to it...

Any ideas would be much appreciated

How should I run BH programs?!

use a virtual machine like vmware, that should work, otherwise you can easily script stuff in php and curl on your mac, i'd say with curl alone you could roll out 99% of the blackhat apps you need.

I'm not a programmer unfortunately (yet)... but thank you for the rec.

I might use VMWare but I would like the programs to have their own machine so they don't bother me when I'm using my computer for other reasons.